Customers of High Road cafes are reporting an increasing number of handbag thefts.

The two latest incidents happened in Shackology and Carvosso’s on Friday 11th January between 13.30 and 13.45 hours in which both female victims had their handbags stolen whilst having coffee.

Police are looking for a white female suspect aged between 20-25 years with shoulder length black hair, wearing a 3/4-length coat and black trousers.

DI Jeff Minns told ChiswickW4.com “Clearly people need to keep their belongings with them at all times, as opposed to leaving them on the back of chairs and unsupervised.

"The suspect(s) are clearly very good at this and people need to be very careful when relaxing over a coffee. Anybody who has information about these thefts, or who witnessed what happened, please call Hounslow Police in confidence on 0208 247 6160/5940.”